All posts by Red Dirt Kelly

“It” Isn’t “What It Is.” “It” Is What You Think, Feel and Do.

March 12, 2012 Red Dirt Kelly 5 Comments

A human being can attach a reason to anything. For example, I could have attached the reason for writing this post to the fact that I’ve now spotted at least seven different varieties of sprouts emerging in my garden. But I won’t.

Rather, I’ve decided to attach a reason to this, my 887thth post published here on the RDC. I’ve decided that for my 887th post, I will write a full-blown rant about a cliche that just won’t die.

In 2007, I noticed that the cooler students I had started dismissing or explaining life’s little mishaps or problems with these words: “It is what it is.” For a while I thought, “Okay, that’s their way of accepting life circumstances. Of having a strong internal locus of control. Of dealing with unfortunate circumstances. Go, you.”

But of course the cliche spread. Who knows how long it had been growing across the U.S. before I focused in on the communication phenomenon. In 2008 Douglas McCollum wrote a GREAT article about how the cliche was used in the sports world.

My favorite paragraph included these words:

The phrase is popular with today’s sports figures because, like all clichés, it helps them avoid speaking about the essence of anything. Queried about whether a key fourth-down decision by coach Marvin Lewis had cost his team a game last fall, Bengals tackle Levi Jones sought cover: “It is what it is. We didn’t win the football game.” Likewise, when Lakers guard Kobe Bryant was disinclined to talk about how he’d eased teammate Shaquille O’Neal out of town, he went for the handiest refuge available. “It is what it is, man,” he told reporters. “I’ve just moved on.” Even retired players have a hard time shaking the habit. “It is what it is,” Cal Ripken Jr. told the Baltimore Sun last year after being voted into the Hall of Fame.

In 2009, I found myself gritting my teeth when I heard people throw “It is what it is” around as if it were an explanation that secretly communicated what they really felt on a higher plane so that the only response I seemed to muster was nodding my head as if I had, indeed, got the meaning loud and clear.

By the time 2010 rolled around, I decided that if our world actually had word balloons floating over all the heads of humanity spelling out what they said, I would patent an official Word Balloon Gun and run around searching for “It is what it is” somewhere within their dialogue. Should I locate that phrase, I would look through my scope, pull the trigger and blow that entire word balloon to bits. I fantasized in my head that I was the word balloon police, and that phrase was felony level behavior. Continue reading “It” Isn’t “What It Is.” “It” Is What You Think, Feel and Do. →

Family, Relationships

The Tale of Two Gingers and Two Frenchmen: Semantics and Secondary Growth

March 11, 2012 Red Dirt Kelly 3 Comments

From the back of the line inside a trendy, suburban Starbucks, I had a vantage point to observe the scene and plenty of time to do it.

A young couple stood face to face in front of me. His cream colored sweater emitted the scent of a spicy cologne. Her soft, strawberry-blond curls were tousled and the front of the locks around her face were anchored into place with a bobby pin or two.

DeusXFlorida - Starbucks photo

Photo by DeusXFlorida – via Flickr, some rights reserved.

His shiny clean face smiled intermittently toward her soft, honey tinged and translucent face, sans any hint of makeup.

My brain classified tha=eir appearances as a “Ginger” and a “Frenchman.” His lightly tinted olive skin and black hair were shiny, too, with freshly applied hair product topping off this perfectly trimmed cut.

Her manner was genteel; his was suave, but matter-of-fact. My gaze left their image long before their gaze would leave each other.

As I looked toward the table section, I spied a deja vu. Same coloring, but drastically rearranged.

In the corner table by the shelves full of coffee products for sale sat a Ginger and a Frenchman. She was tiny and her legs dangled from her chair while her neck strained to reach the tip of a straw poking from her orange juice container. Her honey shaded, translucent face was kissed completely with a soft dusting of freckles.

She guided her tiny index finger over a reserve of crumbs on the table, then pressed it down over the morsels until they attached. Once in place, the crumbs were brought to her mouth and sucked off her finger with a giggle as she directed a sideways glance at her Frenchman father. Continue reading The Tale of Two Gingers and Two Frenchmen: Semantics and Secondary Growth →

RDC News & Updates

We’re Doing Our Best to Keep You Informed and Here’s How…

March 9, 2012 Red Dirt Kelly

The Red Dirt Chronicles has one standard for what we decide to publish: Anything of value related to an aspect of Oklahoma culture.

That’s it; that’s the standard. And, in the spirit of that standard, we’re always trying to keep a balanced blend of informative posts mixed with the more personal or thought provoking posts written by our contributors. So, it wasn’t by accident that Red Dirt Kelly met up with David Blatt and another Oklahoma Policy Institute wonk at McNellies last Friday to talk.

What were they doing that we could share with you? Well, come to find out…quite a bit. So that’s what we’re going to do…Share. The Oklahoma Policy Institute team is going to be putting together a summary-type post beginning next week. The post will cover information pertinent and timely to Oklahoma politics, law, policy, taxes, other fiscal issues, etc. We’ll probably deploy this piece on Fridays at noon. We’ll let you know for sure when our first piece comes out.

Until then, just know this. If you want to talk Oklahoma politics at McNellies in Tulsa, the beer is great. The crab cakes – only so-so.

Take care, and have a great Friday evening,

[kelly]

Oklahoma culture

Bud Manning, the “Wood Chip” Man

March 6, 2012 Red Dirt Kelly 11 Comments

When Mick pulled into the garage on Saturday afternoon, the whole space immediately filled up with the beautiful smell of freshly chipped cedar mulch. It was slightly damp, which was making the aroma stronger. I think I walked into the garage three or four times that evening just to sniff the air. Mick had made three trips to pick up free mulch that day, and had evidently talked to “the mulch guy” during each trip.

bud manning stop sign — We don't think the sign has changed since we first saw it: "FREE WOOD CHIPS 341-9120"

We built our house in the cross-timbers of far NE Edmond about eight years ago. The territory out here is more spread out; a former farming community taken over by suburbanism. But a few farms remain among the housing developments and one of them belongs to Bud Manning. He lives on the NE corner of Sorghum Mill and Midwest Boulevard, just north of the Christmas Tree and Blackberry Farm.

According to Bud, “a few years back, some company was out here buildin’ or somethin’ and they were grindin’ trees on the properties. They wanted a place to dump the wood chips Continue reading Bud Manning, the “Wood Chip” Man →

Art, Poetry

Oklahoma Poets: Leah S. Taylor

March 5, 2012 Red Dirt Kelly

Leah - OCMA dessert course — Leah, during our 2011 philosophical summit. It appears we have reached the dessert course and are doing just fine. Sending you my love, Leah...RDK

Editor’s note: I now have an annual ritual, having completed it three years in a row. During the week between Christmas and New Years, I meet with my former mentor, Dr. Leah Taylor, and my current neighbor, Lisa Red. We talk about the year, waxing philosophical about the ground we’ve covered. Then we talk about the next year, waxing philosophical about the ground we hope to tread. During our most recent meal, Leah shared that her brother was ailing. It seems now, however, that he is near Death’s door. When Leah feels the need to love someone very deeply, one of her ways is by writing them a poem. She’s agreed to share the two poems she has written to support her brother in his process of dying. One waxes philosophical about the ground from where he came, and one about the higher ground to where he is soon going. ~ [kelly]

To My Brother

You were a young boy

Your mother’s lap your own

Her loneliness your wound

Her universe your home

Now all the moons and stars

That know you in your story

Are thankful in their sending

For giving them their glory

You are healed, my brother

Love will sweep you into grace

As spirits come to join you

In the journey you now face Continue reading Oklahoma Poets: Leah S. Taylor →

My Little Victory Garden

My Little Victory Garden: Al Eschbach, Radishes and Beer

March 4, 2012 Red Dirt Kelly 4 Comments

I’m writing this post with a healthy dose of dirt under my fingernails. I just came from my garden, having discovered that my newly planted lettuce is now in the sprout stage. The chard and spinach remain elusive, but I’m hoping another few good weather days will influence them to come up as well. Today’s work included planting carrots, peas and a multitude of red and yellow onions. I was thinking about how this would be the first year I abstained from planting white onions when my next door neighbor wanders over and says hello:

“Hi, neighbor!”

“Hey friend, how ARE you this fine, fine Sunday afternoon?”

“Good, now that my onions are planted. I have reds and whites, but no yellows.”

“Hmmmmm…I have reds and yellows, but no whites.”

“So, we’re trading white and yellows, then, right?”

“Ex-ACT-ly.”

This Sunday afternoon banter along the retention wall between our two properties is a constitutional tenet. It’s as much a part of our female connection as the “Hi ho, neighbor!” call is between our husbands. If we’re outside in the same vicinity, we speak. Or wave. Or nod. Today we spoke. But then, came something extra.

“I just pulled up the remainder of my winter garden and have too many radishes. Would you like a few?”

Al Eschbach: Photo retrieved from The Lost Ogle, June 2, 2011 post.

My antennae rose as I thought about the possibilities. “Sure!” I replied. Then, “radishes…radishes…radishes…” My mind quickly whirled while I considered the possibilities. And then the answer came to me. In the back of my mind, I’ve always wanted to try Al Eschbach’s favorite food combination. I surmised that TODAY must be that experimental opportunity.

I did some quick research to find out all the nuances I could about Eschabach’s food love and discovered a few things:

It was Munich – where he first had radishes and beer. Famous for traveling across the ocean every year since the mid-70s, Al has had plenty of opportunities to sample international cuisine. And evidently, this was a combination that stuck with him big time.
The Lost Ogle has joked about the hours wasted Continue reading My Little Victory Garden: Al Eschbach, Radishes and Beer →

Oklahoma Outdoors

Hypnotique

March 3, 2012 Red Dirt Kelly 10 Comments

How strong is the power of the Western Sky? Powerful enough to make my eyes check all the mirrors, then my speed, then the shoulder…until they find a safe place. A place where I can let go of my responsibilities as a driver, and accept the freedom of Sun Worship once again.

Worshiping a God who gives me this image upon which to gaze is the only choice my psyche has; it is hypnotic-esque. The horizon woos my spirit into a slumber by showing me the soft grey blanket of cloudy mist she is slipping over the End of the Day. She tugs at the blanket, creating fingers stretched so that they almost touch together the top and bottom of my view.

“I’m tucking in the Day,” she whispers. “Are you safe? Nice and tight in within the loving force of the Life you lived today? Are you ready to bid my Sun farewell and welcome Twilight?”

It’s not really a series of questions from the Horizon to me as it is the Final Call. “Last round of the daylight, soak it in while you can!”

The Horizon’s voice is gentle, soothing, reassuring.

Hypnotic.

Grateful once again…no, grateful forever…I breathed out the last breaths of day, and inhaled the first breaths of twilight. Then I got back into my car and drove home through the twilights mists until I reached my driveway. By the time my tires turned toward the house, Twilight was in full force and the Horizon was sleeping. Dreaming. Dreaming as she rotated around Mother Earth until she met Oklahoma once again on Sunday morning.

[kelly]

Oklahoma culture, Politics

Ron Paul Rally 2012, OK State Capitol: Generation Y Photo and Written Essays

February 29, 2012 Red Dirt Kelly 6 Comments

Photos by Rachel Apple, written essay by Drew Apple

I have admired Ron Paul since I was about 16 and first discovered what it truly meant to believe in individual freedom. He has always been a great example of integrity in his convictions.

I draw a large amount of inspiration from hearing him speak about the pervasiveness and universal appeal of liberty. However, the thought of a pseudo-personal interaction with this man that I admire had never really crossed my mind. Continue reading Ron Paul Rally 2012, OK State Capitol: Generation Y Photo and Written Essays →

Travel, Woman2Woman

Requiems Pour un Parfait

February 28, 2012 Red Dirt Kelly 2 Comments

In the corner of the Queen’s Lane Coffee House in Oxford, I am only a student.

I relax after a full day of lectures by eating Greek yogurt, honey and fresh strawberries. This scrumptious food of the gods is beautifully arranged in a tall parfait glass. The bowl of my teaspoon digs to the bottom of the treat and drags bits of each layer up the side of the glass for my next bite.

As I take that perfectly mixed bite into my mouth, my eyes close, and this noise escapes from me: “Mmmmm.”

During the summer I am an instructor with a lighter load, I’m managing a few research projects and writing two papers.

I prepare for the day’s work by eating Greek yogurt, honey and fresh strawberries. This breakfast created to remind me of Oxford is plopped precariously into my cereal bowl. I grab bites here and there with a soup spoon as I dry my hair and get dressed for the day.

As I pack the car with my briefcase, purse and grocery list for the evening trip home, I run back into the house, grab my soup spoon and quickly scrape the last of my faux parfait. This noise escapes from me:

“Hm, good!”

During the January semester I am an instructor with a full load, a student who is taking her last statistics course that paralyzes her with fear, and three other things that make me stressed to type so I don’t.

I don’t have time to drag my breakfast around with me. Rather, I rapidly toss Greek yogurt, honey, fresh strawberries, some ice cubes and a little skim milk into the blender. I turn it on while I’m zipping up my boots. As soon as the zipper reaches the top of the boot, I slam a cup down, jerk the blender off the rotors, and pour in my liquid not-anything-like-a-parfait.

I toss everything I think I’ll need for the day into the car and wedge my breakfast into the drink holder. Half-way to work, I toast the Morning Edition hosts with my liquid breakfast. I drink in gulps it while listening to the news about Pakistan, the upcoming elections and the economy.

Not really regarding the goodness of what I’m drinking, I don’t say a word.

Strawberry and Greek ygrt smoothie

[kelly]

Homestead and Garden

Taco Mountain: They Came, They Assembled, They Conquered

February 27, 2012 Red Dirt Kelly 2 Comments

Taco Mountain burachos photo — "Burachos" Pork Filling for Taco Mountain

Back in the day when my children were pre-teens, “Grandma” found a recipe in the newspaper called “Taco Mountain.” Grandma is Mick’s mom, Ruth Roberts. And Ruth Roberts has done one thing very well since I’ve known her now for 28 years – she feeds large groups of people and doesn’t really get anxious about the prospect. At all.

Case in point: A tradition at the Roberts’ home on the 4th of July is to barbeque a large portion of meat and have lots of people over to enjoy the day together. I’m not talking ten or twenty pounds of meat, folks…I’m talking one hundred, 150 or even close to 200 pounds of meat. But that’s another story for another day. Back to Taco Mountain…

Basically this “recipe” is simply instructions to make a large amount of ingredients we in the South or Midwest generally see together on a plate when having tacos, and then let everyone just build their own. Hers called for shredded lettuce, seasoned taco meat, rice, chopped tomatoes, etc.

Some families have “build your own nachos” bar, or something else very similar. But since the time of the first serving of Taco Mountain at Grandma’s house in Jenks, Oklahoma, our own family also adopted the tradition. And, since our normal Sunday evening dinner was going to include extra guests last night, “Taco Mountain” became the evening choice for service.

Our Taco Mountain has morphed, evolved and changed quite a bit since our first time at Grandmas. And YOUR Taco Mountain could look completely different than ours. But in case you’ve not tried this particular approach to serving guests before, I’ll share OUR approach to give you a starting point. Who KNOWS where your own creativity will lead you!?

***

Taco Mountain, al la the Mick and Kelly Roberts Family Approach

Make seasoned ground or shredded beef. We use local organic beef, and I simply use McCormick low-sodium taco seasoning. I usually double the recipe and use two packets for large crowds.
You can also include chicken or pork. Last night I made the pork I created for a recipe contest called “Tacos Burachos.” I love that recipe. Here is the link if you’d like to check it out. I love the tang from the tequila and lime mixed with the smoke of the chipotle tomatoes.
Homemade guacamole: Continue reading Taco Mountain: They Came, They Assembled, They Conquered →

Oklahoma culture

Funkalicious Crazy Beautiful Weather

February 22, 2012 Red Dirt Kelly

Su-POS-sedly, it was our Oklahoma Native son, Will Rogers, who coined the phrase:

If you don’t like the weather in Oklahoma, just wait a minute.

Monday afternoon, Gary England, our renowned meteorologist who was made quasi-famous by his background broadcast of the tornadic activity in the blockbuster movie, “Twister,” began sending tweets back-to-back-to-back. I won’t belabor the details, but they basically happened in a sequence like this: Oklahoma is getting stormy. Now it’s turning into weirdness. Okay, now it’s hail. Oklahoma City and Edmond now receiving a blanket of pea-sized hail. Okay, we’re all clear again.

Evidently, Blake Brown was driving across Oklahoma City midtown just as the storm was breaking up. He captured this beautiful image of the storm dissipating over the city just as quickly as it had come:

Oh, sci-fi movies…your special effects don’t have anything on reality.

[kelly]

Family, Relationships

Losing Two: Kim Tiderman’s Story

February 21, 2012 Red Dirt Kelly 2 Comments

I wrestled with whether or not to write this particular post. The only reason I’ve moved forward, I’ve decided, is because the Red Dirt Chronicles community is so much larger than any one of our contributors’ individual circle of acquaintances. Therefore I thought this post and video could be helpful to someone, somewhere.

Four years ago I received a call from my parents. They asked me, “Has Drew called you about Kim Tiderman’s family?” I had no idea what they were talking about and had to ask what he meant. Evidently, my daughter’s boyfriend at the time (he’s now my son-in-law) had family members who were killed in a car accident by a drunk driver and they were sharing the news. My father was an elder in Kim’s church and he received the news through those channels.

Ugh…this was so hard.

It was an extremely difficult time that rocked Kim’s family and the whole Tuttle community. And although I was on the periphery, it was hard for me to watch the pain experienced by Kim’s family members and loved ones.

It’s been four years since that wreck, and Kim recently told her story on a faith-based TV station. I thought she did a good job, and I thought that if someone had recently experienced a tragedy, it might be helpful to share something of this story.

And, if you are one of those who needs to hear this story because you’ve endured a great loss, then I’m really sorry about that too.

[kelly]

My Little Victory Garden

My Little Victory Garden: Gillyflowers and the Circle of Food-Life

February 19, 2012 Red Dirt Kelly 6 Comments

MLVG 2012 1-1 — I stood over the sink during the second wash. Most of the dirt was already down the drain and I was now searching for dried sections on the onion shoots. I had just pulled about forty green onions from My Little Victory Garden so Mick could help me get the dirt ready for early Spring planting.

MLVG 2012 1-11 — Here is what a clean, fresh palette looks like to a garden artist. Wow...imagine the possibilities!

MLVG 2012 1-3 — I continued to clean the lettuce that had grown over the winter, but it was rough, tough and not really great to eat. I decided to give the deer a treat so I washed it up a bit and left it over the back fence for them to find tonight.

Continue reading My Little Victory Garden: Gillyflowers and the Circle of Food-Life →

RDC News & Updates

Julianna

February 19, 2012 Red Dirt Kelly

At the end of this post, you’ll find a photo of Julianna. She was one of my students during her undergraduate years.

She then decided to serve her internship in Oaxaca, Mexico doing really cool work for an important program that served needs in that area.

Then she became a marriage and family therapy student; I filled in as Interim Clinical Director for that program over the course of a few months. I also supervised the students for about two years while they grew into new professional therapists.

Then I began working with her side by side in order to provide a portion of the services provided in couples retreats for vulnerable and stressed populations.

Then she became one of our RDC contributors, writing a series called the “Not So Newlyweds.” Julianna is an excellent writer. She’s better than me when it comes to constructing sentences, form, consideration of her subject, etc. I love it that she’s a stronger writer than I…it makes our blog a better project.

So today, I was looking across the room at what is now my eighth year of providing couples services at these retreats, and there she was – looking over the first file and preparing for her session.

Julianna is a strong, beautiful and thoughtful woman…and I feel happy and sentimental to have watched her grow into that person.

Julianna – you’re extra cool. And I just wanted you to know that I think so.

[kelly]

Oklahoma culture, Relationships

On Marriage – by Alice Woodrome

February 15, 2012 Red Dirt Kelly 2 Comments

Editor’s Note: As we wrap up our week of relationship posts, I thought it might be appropriate to share an essay by someone who is past her fortieth wedding anniversary. Someone who self-describes her marriage much like a dear researcher I know who says, “I’ve been married to seven different men over my lifetime, and they’re all the same person.” A retrospective and thoughtful view can be especially helpful when we’re stuck in the moment. I thank Alice for sharing her perspective.

“On Marriage”

Written on our Fortieth Anniversary

I’ve been married for forty years. That doesn’t make me an expert on long-time romance any more than a man who lives to be 100 is an expert on health and longevity. Sometimes people ask a centenarian what the secret of his long life is, and he may give a pretty good answer, but I’ve heard some lame answers to that question, as well. I even heard one old guy say it was “a cigar a day and a pint of brew.”

Nevertheless, for what they are worth, I have some opinions on long-term relationships to share. If you were to ask me what the secret of a lasting marriage is, the short answer would be “don’t leave – it gets better.”

Of course, that is a simplistic answer for something as complicated as the blending of two personalities. It presupposes that both parties want the union and are willing to learn how to make it work better. If both are committed to making it work, instead of bolting when things go sour, there is a good chance that their first choice of a life partner is the best choice they could have made. It certainly is less complicated than going from relationship to relationship when the going gets rough.

And anyone with a little experience knows, the going does get rough. The euphoria at the beginning of a romance does not last. That head over heels stage where we overlook our partner’s faults eventually fades as the realities of living together set in. Then our spouse’s inadequacies loom large. Differences in interest, perspectives, personality and habits can appear insurmountable, and we seriously question whether we made a wise decision. It happens to most couples, and if more people knew that it was coming and that there is something good beyond it, they might stick it out long enough to learn to communicate – long enough to learn ways to resolve conflicts.

What keeps some couples together through those times when other couples split? It is not love, but commitment, that is the real glue holding them together. I suspect most people who have been married a very long time have fallen in and out of love with their spouses several times. I know I have. It is tempting, especially when we are young, to cut and run during the times when we can’t feel the love. Continue reading On Marriage – by Alice Woodrome →

Oklahoma culture, The Stage

RDC Says “Hello” to Oklahoma LIVE

February 15, 2012 Red Dirt Kelly 1 Comment

On Monday of this week, two members of our contributor team for the Red Dirt Chronicles (RDC) spent some time with the KSBI TV crew introducing the RDC to Oklahoma. Dallas Caldwell, our Faith contributor, and I spent about 5-7 minutes with Lyn Hester on “Oklahoma LIVE,” a daily live show that highlights events and points of interest around the state.

This is a photo of us in the lobby after finishing our segment. Our hostess was very gracious and asked us back, “any time.” KSBI employs a kind, engaging and welcoming crew and I appreciated the opportunity to get the exposure for all the good work our authors create.

Feel free to check out our segment by watching this video clip of our discussion.

I suppose if there was a lesson I learned today, it was this – don’t be scared of TV…it’s okay. And, it may be helpful to promote your work. Take care. And, if you get a chance to make a local TV appearance, please let us know about it. We always love to know what our readers are doing, and would love to share your work with others as well.

***

[kelly]

Relationships

How Shall I Love Thee? By Standing On My Desk.

February 14, 2012 Red Dirt Kelly 4 Comments

Have you ever had the privilege of watching “The Dead Poet’s Society?” Of course, for someone who loves writing, literature, teaching and academia – well, let’s just say it’s a movie I can appreciate. However, “The Dead Poet’s Society” has themes that numerous people can appreciate for an infinite number of reasons. In a way, it’s a teaching movie. A movie to inspire you…and to bring you to tears.

I was thinking about a scene last night because I was thinking about Love. It will take a bit of thought to put this whole thing together, so I hope you are able to watch this clip before we move on:

Even if you have never seen this particular movie, you can tell a great deal of the context by the information in this particular scene. There was some kind of disturbance that resulted in the teacher being removed, the students are terribly torn about the situation, and it appears that they’ll be returning to status quo school process once again.

As perhaps the most tender, or the most committed student takes the first stand toward loyalty to their former teacher,we are afforded – due to good acting and high quality cinematography – a glimpse into his soul. His struggle was colossal. He was visibly shaken at what he was about to do, but he did it anyway. His hands pressed down on the top of his desk, his body rose and his legs took him to the top of his desk to pledge allegiance to his teacher.

Then, moved by his heroic gesture, others followed. Every student reacted differently, but the decision was not light for any of them.

They declared their love and allegiance for their teacher by literally taking a stand, and quite possibly risk getting expelled from school. Continue reading How Shall I Love Thee? By Standing On My Desk. →

Homestead and Garden

Dark Secrets: A Very Chocolate Tasting of Fifteen High Cacao Delights

February 13, 2012 Red Dirt Kelly 14 Comments

It was 8:15 pm and my husband, who rises at 4:00 a.m. every morning, had already gone to bed. I was almost home from work when my phone rang.

“Uh, hello?” a voice said on the other end. Translation: “Mom, I’m here in your kitchen ready to taste chocolate. Where are YOU?”

“I’m pulling in the drive, kiddo…be right there.” We had a date. 8:15 to 9:00 pm that evening, she (20 years old), my neighbor (35 years old) and I (48 years old) were going to have a Dark Chocolate throw-down. We were looking for the perfect bar of dark chocolate to recommend to our readers for a Valentine’s Day post. Rylee was in the kitchen staring at me mischievously when I walked in the door.

“Let’s get started!” she grinned.

Chocolate does that to some people, doesn’t it? It has some sort of built in beacon that pings a signal in the center of your brain beckoning over and over, “Here I am. Taste me! Here I am. Taste me!” Rylee and I were appreciators of a good dark chocolate but tonight was going to be special. I had spent the past few days stopping by Forward Foods, Whole Foods Market and Homeland to pick up a wide assortment of high-level cacao chocolates and we were going to taste them that night. Every single one of them.

Missy arrived right after I, and we began to set up our experiment. We carefully shaved off small bits of every bar, put them on a single saucer, lined up glasses of water and put on some hot water for tea.

As we tore open the bars while prepping, I thought back to my first memories of dark chocolate. My grandpa Frank used to purchase bulk bags of Hershey’s miniature candy bars and he knew I liked the “Specials.” I remember watching him open bags, digging around and picking out the two or three that were in every bag. It seemed those bags had the greatest percentage of Mr. Goodbars and Hershey’s Krisps, then Hershey’s Milk Chocolate, THEN the Specials. I felt like a princess because he was finding the treasure and handing it over before he ever picked one for himself.

Years later, I still have about one square of dark chocolate every morning or night and I love it dearly. I love breathing in the chocolaty aroma before putting it in my mouth. I love the way it melts and begins to turn to liquid, and I love to barely chew the last little bit so that my teeth get in on part of the action as well.

I think eating chocolate must be slightly spiritual. After all, it IS a vegetable, no? And it’s actually good for you. It can lower your blood pressure and in small quantities do good things for your body. Evidently, others think about it as spiritual as well. There is almost as much information about tasting chocolate as there is about tasting wine. And, just like wine…there are many ways to classify the various aspects of dark chocolate.

One of my favorite moments in reading up on dark chocolate was learning to pronounce the word “cacao.” I always thought it was “kuh-kay-oh.” Nope. It’s “kuh-kow.” I’m such a Trekkie that the word reminds me of the Queen of the Vulcan’s, T’Pau (tuh-pow). Okay…back to the chocolate. Continue reading Dark Secrets: A Very Chocolate Tasting of Fifteen High Cacao Delights →

Oklahoma culture

Silent Sunday 2/12/12: Birdnest in the Barn

February 12, 2012 Red Dirt Kelly

Yesterday I was walking through the house I grew up in with my daughter. She was recording memories I have of the various rooms within our home, and taking photos based upon that perspective. Her completed project will include the same process with my brother, my mother and my father.

As we were walking through the barn, I was telling her a story about the electric fence barrier across the barn entrance. We laughed, turned to head back to the house and saw this image shown in the photo above. A small birds nest had been built in bottle racks used to hold the bottles when feeding baby calves. A tiny feather on the nest fluttered in the wind as the racks gently swayed back and forth. We had an exchange about the coolness of the image, she took this photo, and we went on our way.

Sweet “*Silent Sunday,” everyone. Have a wonderful day.

Peace,

[kelly]

*”Silent Sunday” is the term the contributors to the RDC use to describe our disengagement with social media on Sundays. We don’t post Facebook messages or information, send tweets over our Twitter account, or deploy blog posts. This one was constructed Saturday night, and scheduled to be released early Sunday morning. Take care.

Showcasing Red Dirt culture ~ authored and managed by contributors with connections to the great state of Oklahoma.